


Better Father Than Your Own

by UniverseInk



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Father's Day, Fluff, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Roy Harper is a good Dad, how did it get so fluffy, this was supposed to be a vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24832291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseInk/pseuds/UniverseInk
Summary: Jason spends Father's Day with Roy and Lian
Relationships: Roy Harper & Jason Todd
Comments: 6
Kudos: 93
Collections: the batman family





	Better Father Than Your Own

**Author's Note:**

> I started this as a vent fic to deal with the impending holiday, but somehow it turned into fluff

Jason shows up at the Harper house in the early afternoon. Lian throws the door open and grins up at him.

“Hi Uncle Jason!” she chirps.

“Hey, kiddo.” Jason scoops her up and carries her into the house. “Where’s your dad?”

“In the kitchen. Are you here for Father’s Day?” Lian asks. 

“Yep,” Jason laughs. “Decided to spend it with the best dad I know.”

Lian giggles. Roy’s making lunch, and looks over his shoulder as they enter the kitchen. 

“Hey Jaybird,” he says. “Thought you might not be coming.”

“Nah, just took me ‘til noon to drag myself out of bed.” Jason sets Lian down at the kitchen table. “Want some help?”

“Sure, you can cut the apples.”

Jason grabs a cutting board and gets to work. “So, what have you two been up to today?”

“I helped Daddy make breakfast and we went to the park!” Lian answers. “And I gave him presents!”

“Yeah? What did you give him?”

“A tie and a card I made myself!” Lian announces, puffing out her chest.

“The tie has arrows on it,” Roys admits. Jason grins.

“Aunt Artemis helped me pick it out,” Lian says.

“That’s great, kiddo.” Jason puts the apple slices on a plate and moves them to the table. “Your dad’s a lucky man, he’s got the best daughter in the world.”

“Hell yeah I do.” Roy brings over the sandwiches, ruffling Lian’s hair.

“Daddy! That’s a bad word,” Lian scolds.

“Yeah Roy, that’s a bad word,” Jason teases.

Roy rolls his eyes. “Sorry sweetpea, I’ll watch my language.”

Lian giggles. “It’s okay, I forgive you.”

“Alright, let’s eat.”

“She’s asleep,” Roy says, dropping onto the couch next to Jason. 

“That didn’t take long.”

“Guess we tired her out.” Roy stretches his arms over his head. “She fell asleep halfway through Red is Best.”

“Red is Best?” Jason asks.

“Kids book about a girl whose favorite color is red,” Roy explains. “Kori thought it was charming.”

“Well, I’m not gonna argue.” Jason puts his feet up on the coffee table and slumps further into the cushions. “Red _is_ best.”

Roy snorts. For a moment they sit there, content to enjoy a peaceful silence for once.

“Oliver texted earlier,” Roy says eventually.

“How was that?” Jason asks cautiously. Roy says Oliver’s actually trying to be better, but Jason’s withholding judgement until he sees solid evidence.

“Not too bad.” Roy shrugs. “He said happy Father’s Day, told me he’s proud of how well I’m raising Lian. Didn’t push me to say anything to him, so that’s an improvement.”

“Guess Dinah’s a good influence on him.” Jason smirks. “Think she could give Selina a few pointers?”

Roy laughs. “How are things on that front, by the way?”

“I dunno.” Jason shrugs. “Dick invited me to the manor for some Father’s Day brunch thing. He wasn’t pushy about it, just said the offer was open.”

“You weren’t up for it?” Roy’s tone holds no judgement. He gets it.

“I can barely stand to be in a room with Bruce, let alone him _and_ my siblings. I did send a card, though.”

“You did?” Roy raises an eyebrow.

Jason grins. “To Alfred.”

Roy barks a laugh. “Of course you did, you petty bastard.”

“Hey, he deserves it,” Jason says, still grinning. “That man puts up with so much shit.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Roy says. “How are things with the siblings?”

“Cass is still in Hong Kong, last I heard. Usually only see the others when our patrols cross paths.” Jason scowls. “Or when one of them decides to break into my apartment.”

“I feel like there’s a story there,” Roy prods.

“I dragged Dick back there once to keep his dumb ass from bleeding out, now they keep showing up uninvited.” Jason huffs. “Even the brat showed up once, told me I needed better security.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right.” Roy smiles.

Jason’s phone dings, and he narrows his eyes at it. 

“Gonna get that or just have a staring contest?” Roy asks. Jason flips him the bird and grabs the phone off the coffee table.

**New message from: Replacement**

> your card for alfred made him tear up but i think the demon brat wins this round

Attached to the text is a video that seems to have been pulled from the manor’s security cameras. Jason shifts over so Roy can see the screen and taps play.

_“Thank you, Damian,” Bruce is saying, holding a mug that says ‘World’s Greatest Detective’ on it._

_Damian nods seriously and pulls out another package, placing it in front of Dick._

_“Uh, you know it’s Father’s Day, right?” Tim asks. “Not Older Brother’s Day.”_

_“Hush, Drake, I didn’t ask for your input,” Damian snaps._

_Dick smiles and opens the package, pulling out a mug the same style as Bruce’s, the text hidden from the angle of the camera. Dick covers his mouth with his hand, shoulders shaking._

_“Do you like it?” Damian asks, impatient._

_“I love it, Dami.” Dick smothers his laughter to pull his little brother into a hug. Damian huffs, but allows it._

_“What does it say?” Bruce asks, setting off another bout of laughter from Dick._

_He releases Damian and turns the mug around. It reads ‘World’s Greatest Batman’._

_Tim snorts into his coffee. Bruce’s face goes blank._

_“Ah.”_

The video cuts off there. Roy bursts into laughter. 

“Huh, maybe there’s hope for the kid yet.” Jason smirks. He’s not exactly filled with warm fuzzies for the current Robin, but he has to respect his instinct for chaos.

“Holy shit, Batman’s face,” Roy says. “I can die happy now.”

“Don’t,” Jason scolds. “I’m not taking care of your kid if you croak.”

Roy’s grin turns sheepish. “You know, she has a godfather.”

Jason glares. “It better not be fucking Oliver.” 

“It’s not,” Roy assures him, rolling his eyes. “It’s Dick, actually.”

Jason raises an eyebrow.

“We were on better terms back then,” Roy explains. “And even now, I know he’d drop anything to keep her safe.” He shrugs. “Never saw the point in changing it.”

Jason nods. It makes sense, really. Dick’s fatal flaw has always been his need to care about others more than himself. 

“I was joking, you know,” Jason says quietly. “If anything happened to you, I’d take care of Lian. Me and Kori, we’d keep her safe.”

“I know.” Roy smiles tiredly. “Lian’s a lucky kid, she’s always gonna have someone there for her. Even if it’s not me.”

Jason elbows him in the ribs. “You’re a good dad, Roy.”

“I hope so,” Roy mumbles. 

“I’ve had my fair share of shitty father figures,” Jason says. “You’re not one of them.”

“I mean, I hope you don’t see me as a father figure.” Roy smirks.

“Shut up, asshole.” Jason shoves at him.

“You ever think about having kids of your own?” Roy asks.

Jason blinks. “The hell did that come from?”

Roy shrugs. “You’re good with Lian.”

“I guess, but that doesn’t mean I’d be a good dad.” Jason crosses his arms over his chest.

“I think you would be,” Roy says. “Only if you want to be, though.”

Jason shrugs. “I just don’t think about it.”

“That’s fair,” Roy concedes. “You’re a good uncle to Lian, at least.”

“I guess I can handle being a fun uncle. “ Jason smiles. “I’ll leave the parenting to you.”

Roy laughs “Sounds like a deal.”

“Happy Father’s Day, Roy.”

“Thanks, Jay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Red is Best by Kathy Stinson is a real book, btw. It was one of my favorites as a kid (red is, and always has been, my favorite color)
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @mercuryparallax (art and writing blog) or @transrobins (Batfam/DC blog)
> 
> Please leave a comment or kudos if you liked this


End file.
